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2007 was a mixed year for the international fabric machinery market. Although deliveries of flat knitting machinery to the world’s mills increased significantly, shipments of weaving machinery and circular knitting machinery fell. Once again, Chinese purchases dictated global shipments.

In the weaving sector, there was a modest increase in deliveries of shuttleless looms but this was more than offset by a sharp drop in shuttle loom deliveries. In the case of shuttleless looms, the more advanced weaving technology, deliveries were up by 2.4%. Shuttle loom shipments, however, plunged by as much as 45%. The 2.4% increase in shipments of shuttleless looms was due entirely to a 9.7% rise in acquisitions by China’s textile industry. There were also increases in the numbers procured by mills in Bangladesh and Indonesia but, in general, levels of acquisitions were down. Indeed, purchases by the industries in Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, South Korea, Syria, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam all fell at double digit rates. In the case of shuttle looms, Chinese mills acquired 43% fewer machines, and accounted for almost all of the drop in global deliveries. Nonetheless, they still represented over 95% of total shipments—at 3,661 machines.

The global market for circular knitting machinery was also sluggish in 2007. Having said that, drops stayed within single digits. Shipments of single jersey circular knitting machinery fell by 5.1% while double jersey machinery deliveries declined by 6.8%. In the case of single jersey machinery, the fall was due entirely to an 8.7% drop in purchases by Chinese mills. In the case of double jersey machinery, 91% of the global decline was accounted for by a 7.9% drop in acquisitions by the industry in China.

In the flat knitting sector, there were increases in global shipments of hand knitting and semi-automatic knitting machines, as well as electronic flatbed machines. In the case of hand and semi-automatic flat knitting machinery, unlike other sectors, shipments increased in spite of a 28% drop in purchases by the industry in China and the increase was due largely to a 42% rise in purchases by Bangladeshi mills. However, there were also substantial increases in purchases by several other industries, including those in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Madagascar, Russia, South Korea and Thailand. In the electronic flatbed knitting machinery market, the industry in China remained the largest buyer and increased its purchases by 64%. However, several other national industries stepped up their purchases, including the 12 largest buyers. As a result, global deliveries of electronic flatbed machinery rose to a record high for the second consecutive year.

Six times a year, Textile Outlook International provides up to 200 pages of expert comment and analysis. A subscription provides an overview of the global fibre, textile and apparel industries. It is essential reading for senior executives in the fibre, textile and apparel industries – and for anyone who is not involved in the industry, but needs to quickly gain an understanding of the key issues.

Reports in Textile Outlook International include:

country profiles – providing a comprehensive guide to the textile and clothing industries in a range of countries and regions. The reports include an economic and political profile together with a comprehensive overview of the main issues, plus an outlook for the future.

company profiles – giving you the opportunity to learn from strategies employed by others. Companies profiled recently include retailers, manufacturers, innovators and sourcing companies involved in textiles and apparel as well as smaller companies which illustrate the opportunities for firms which are interested in selected sourcing locations.

trends in world textile and apparel trade and production – taking into account current issues facing the industry – such as global fibre prices; competition from China and other low cost countries; the elimination of quotas and imposition of selective new ones; relocation of production operations; the impact of economic factors affecting trade; international trade agreements; trade promotion agreements (TPAs); and much more.

trends in EU and US imports of textiles and clothing – providing comprehensive statistical data and analysis of the top ten supplying countries to the EU and US markets. These reports are updated each year and contain value and volume data as well as average prices and analyses of trends for up to 15 product categories.

innovations, technological developments, business development opportunities, individual sector analysis and political implications which affect players in the global fibre, textile and apparel industries. Some of the topics which have been covered in recent reports include: new innovations in the textile and clothing industry, such as environmentally friendly textiles, plant based fibres, and developments in textile colorants; innovations in textile machinery; and overviews of the European swimwear, hosiery and lingerie markets.

So whether you are involved in fibres, textiles or clothing – in manufacturing, spinning, weaving, knitting, sewing, import/export, retailing – or if you are in education or consultancy or investment or finance, a subscription to Textile Outlook International will tell you what you need to know about the key trends in the industry.

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